THE Hauraki Plains Gazette With which is incorporated THE OHINEMURI GAZETTE. Motto : Public Service. MONDAY. WEDNESDAY. & FRIDAY. MONDAY, JANUARY 22, 1923. BANNED BOOKS.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIV, Issue 4518, 22 January 1923, Page 2

THE Hauraki Plains Gazette With which is incorporated THE OHINEMURI GAZETTE. Motto : Public Service. MONDAY. WEDNESDAY. & FRIDAY. MONDAY, JANUARY 22, 1923. BANNED BOOKS.

Much ii-as recently been said about the New Zealand censorship of books, but, as a matter of fact, no regular reader of modern fiction would ever imagine that a censorship exists. We are told it. does, however,, and must accept the statement. At, the same time, the fact remains that many of the latest books of fiction are so vile, so utterly indecent, that, the value of the censorship is questionable. A protest has been made against the banning of certain, classics —bopks that would seldom be read except by those desiring to acquire a knowledge o,f literature or possessing an inquiring mind —so, from circumstantial evidence, it. can be inferred tha.t some censoring is done. In these days no broadminded individual is foolish enough to attempt ,to advance superpuritanical or prudish views.! It must, be conceded, however, that so far as modern fiction is concerned no censorship exists; oir, if it does, its operations are wasted. Almost every bookseller’s shop in the Dominion, as well as most of the libraries, contain modern books .that are far more indecent and harmful than the classics now being barred, while not possessing a millionth, part of the literary value Of the latter. The fact that the present censorship is a failure was recently admitted by the Minister of Internal Affairs (Mr Downie Stewart) when he said: “There are quite a number of books and magazines on the banned list which seem to me innocent enough, and others which are admitted which seem to me verv poisonous.” Reconsideration of the present system is promised, and, though few would wish for too drastic censorship, there is not the slightest doubt but that much can be done towards the elimination of undesirable literature.

It is a recognised fact that the men who are successful in the field of sport are the men who ultimately achieve equal success in the competition for supremacy in every-day life. This, of course, cannot always be so, but it may be accepted as a general rule. It is in -the field of true sport, that men learn, to “play tile game,” ami no doubt if the moral character of the world’s leading men keenly scrutinised it would be found that tlie men who in their early days loved sport for sports s'ake would stand out above their fellow men. No one would, wc believe, contend that such was not tile case. This being an established fact, it follows, therefore, that every possible encouragement should be given to the promotion of every type of healthy sport. It is not

necessary to make any 1! distinctions, or invidious’ comparisons. Every man knows , what is clean, healthy sport, just as surely as he knows right fuom wrong. There are, however, som? classes of outdoor recreation which c,an be specially commended. Among these are the competitions which take place at proper sports gatherings, such as the. meetings to be held at Turua and Hikutaia on the 27th and 29thi instants, respectively. To all who are 1 truly pa.triot.ic the woodchopping competitions at these meetings will serve as a ieminder of how the pioneers blazed their brails in the early days, and give an illustration of clean sport. Chopping competitions almost invariably develop into a final contest between man and man —muscle, skill, and judgment fighting for supremacy. There are, perhaps, some qualities that it is necessary tp acquire in the field of games —such, for instance, as are learnt at cricket—but these sports meetings are undoubtedly of great value to the country as a whole, engendering a spirit of good-fellowship and encouraging a keener desire to retain the greatest of gifts'—good health. It is to be hoped that the benefit of such gatherings will be fully recognised, and that the. people from adjacent towns, as well ,as from the countryside, will give a practical demonstration! of their approval by putting in an appearance on the sports grounds.